“Yeah, I heard,” he says, flashing me that creepy smile that makes him look like someone trying to get a kid into the back of a white van. “Youarea little grumpy. Makes it hard for people to get close to you.”
“That’s the point. If you’ll excuse us,” I say in a tone that screams “go the fuck away before my fist meets your face.”
The smile drops from his face and he stops walking as I drag Crista down the hallway.
She makes an amused sound as we exit the building. “You know, I take it back. I’d say more Stone Cold Steve Austin.”
I snort and walk her to her car. “What did you want? Echer giving you trouble?”
Crista waves me away. “He’s harmless. A lot of bluster, but when I mentioned he’d get dropped from my class too, he shut the fuck up. No, I was coming to see if you wanted to do dinner tonight. Mika is hanging out with her sisters to plan my surprise party and doesn’t want me around.”
“How do you know she’s planning your party? Did you snoop through her shit?” I ask, leaning against her car.
“Don’t have to. I know her better than she knows herself. She’s also a terrible liar. It was a matter of deduction.”
I chuckle. “You know, for a creative writing professor, you sure do a lot of math.”
“Screw you, you roided-up theater teacher.” She makes a show of pinching the muscle of my bicep. “Guess we’re both subverting expectations. So what do you say? Dinner? It’ll be on me.”
“Can’t,” I say, pulling my bag higher on my shoulder.
I peek down at my watch and try to hide the smile that wants to bloom across my face.
Luca texted me minutes after he left. I gave him my address and said I expected him not to be late. He informed me that his car was back in good working condition and he wouldn’t. I could practically feel his blush via text.
It’s probably not smart, having him come to my home, but that’s where I feel the most comfortable. If I want to put Luca at ease, to keep him coming out of his shell, I have to meet him somewhere we can both unwind.
A hotel would have been the smart move, but that’s too impersonal. I plan to keep doing whatever this is with Luca for a while. It’s best we start somewhere we don’t think our wall neighbors will hear us.
An eyebrow raised, Crista says, “You got plans? With a guy?”
If I give her even an inch, she’ll push and push until I explode because she doesn’t know how not to be nosy. “I have plans,” I repeat.
“Ugh. So you and my girlfriend are keeping secrets. Is anyone loyal anymore?”
I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up my throat. “Good night Crista.”
“Night, Mad. Make sure you give me all the dirty details.”
“No,” I call over my shoulder, and I hear her bright laughter.
When I slide behind the wheel of my car, I marvel at the fact that my heart is racing just thinking about Luca. I’m not sure what that cute twink is doing to me. Evenhedidn’t make me feel so… buoyant.
I feel light, free. Even though I know I can’t give him more than my body, it feels good to even want to dothat.
Being closed off for decades and fucking men in Mask—men who aren’t as demure and soft as Luca—doesn’t top getting to see the pleasure bloom across Luca’s face at the slightest touch. It’s a revelation.
I have to be careful, though. The last time I felt even marginally this good, I?—
No, I won’t think that. What Luca and I will be doing is not the same as what happened before. It’s just physical. Ithasto be. Anything more will probably break me.
When I get home, I tidy up then take a shower. I don’t know how far we plan to go tonight, but I want to be ready just in case.
I wish I’d stopped by the store and picked up a bottle of wine before I got home, but my mind was on how to make Lucacomfortable first, then how to make him writhe for me. If the small amount I showed him at Mask had him as hard as he was, I can only imagine how he’ll moan when I suck him down and?—
A sudden knock at my door jars me from my thoughts.
Smoothing back my hair, I hurry to the door and open it.
